With over 200 booths, from the Hauptwache to the Mainufer, the Frankfurt Christmas market has an incredible variety to offer especially in culinary terms. Even if it may have the appearance at first sight that there is to be tasted here primarily the usual - only mulled wine, Bratwurst, candy floss and Co. - then it is worthwhile nevertheless to look a little more exactly. Then an undreamt-of variety of delicacies, undreamt-of taste variations and tasty surprises, which should really satisfy every palate, opens up to the visitor. In order to present evenly this variety once, Thomas Feda, managing director of the tourism+congress GmbH, invited the press to a completely special round course over the Christmas market, on which some of the culinary characteristics and high points were presented.
1.Station: The stand of the city of Frankfurt directly next to the Christmas crib
From here the tour started in a particularly sweet way. After a small sip of Frankfurter-Kranz liqueur, there was still a greeting from the Frankfurt Christmas market in the form of a small Christstollen. This special creation of an original Dresden Christmas stollen with baked apple is one of the bestsellers among the souvenirs from a visit to the Christmas market - and rightly so, as can be seen after the first bite into the small stollen.
2nd stop: Roie`s Kaffee-Scheune
In the cozy coffee barn of Bettina Roie there is a really unusual, but extremely tasty crêpes creation. In the only stand with organic certification, a spelt crêpes is served with smoked brisket and green sauce. The fact that the meat is first cooked and then still smoked, it is not only incredibly tender, but also has an intense flavor. Absolutely try!
At this stand, there is also a very special Frankfurt Christmas Market coffee with a slight speculoos aroma. This coffee, which is not flavored with sugar, is really only available here. Therefore, lovers of festive coffee creations should definitely look past in the coffee barn on the Römerberg.
3. Station: Frankfurt fondue in the winter pavilion
Also the cozy winter pavilion at the large carousel belongs to the Roie family. Here there is a very special Frankfurt specialty: a fondue with Handkäs and apple wine. This is accompanied by a specially baked bread (plain or with onions). The taste of this cheese fondue is tart and very strong. I was surprised by how well it tasted to me, although I am otherwise not really a friend of Handkäs.
4. Station: Hausmann`s specialties
A few stalls away is the tent of Eddy Hausmann, which was just elected by the Frankfurt Tip users at number 2 of the most popular Frankfurt Christmas market stalls. Son Patrick Hausmann likes to experiment with new flavors. Together with Metzgerei Dürr from Bad Vilbel, he always presents very special taste experiences that go far beyond the usual bratwurst offerings. A real highlight is the plum-nut bratwurst, which has been on offer since last year and has become a real hit. The sausage is served with a special honey mustard - simply delicious!
5th station: M. Eiserloh Burnt almonds
If you like it sweet, you simply can't miss the almond stand of Monika Eiserloh. The variety of flavors is just as unbeatable as the friendliness of Monika Eiserloh and her team. In addition to the top sellers, which undoubtedly include the incredibly delicious Rafaello almonds (warning: danger of addiction), the orange-ginger almonds or the Bethmännchen almonds and the Amaretto almonds, there is also always the almond of the day. During our visit, this was a flavorful cherry-basil almond. A special highlight at this stand, however, are the gold almonds, which are made with real (edible) gold leaf. Who likes it thus somewhat more extravagantly, which can treat itself here three of these golden almonds in a small casket for 10 euro.
6. Station: Wild boar bratwurst at Ute Hill
And another very special bratwurst specialty awaited us at the next station. This time at the stand of the Hill family, directly on the street that leads from Paulsplatz to Römerberg. The taste of their wild boar bratwurst is very intense and certainly not everyone's cup of tea. But who likes it a little more tart, which will experience a real taste explosion.
7. Station: snails in garlic-butter sauce at Malon Elte
At the stand of Malon Elte near St. Paul's Church, there are not only the most delicious Alsatian tarte flambée on the Christmas market. In addition to tasty soups, she also offers her guests more unusual specialties like snails from Burgundy in a homemade garlic-butter sauce. I first had to be persuaded to try a snail, but was quite pleasantly surprised by the taste. And with the delicious baguette that was served with it, I had to dip into the delicious garlic butter sauce several times afterwards. But even those who do not like snails, should here already alone because of the nice hostess and the delicious tarte flambée necessarily turn in once.
8th station: Wagners honey house
The honey house of Peter Wagner is a real eye-catcher. The 230-year-old half-timbered house from the Vogelsberg has been set up for the Christmas market at the Paulskirche for five years now. This is an enormous effort - both in terms of time and money - but it is worth it. Because the very special atmosphere that unfolds in the house always makes a visit to the Honey House an experience. It is especially worthwhile to go to the second floor. Here, all varieties - 20 pure varieties and 70 mixtures - can be tasted. And so one can decide in peace whether one would prefer to take lavender honey from Provence, orange honey from Spain, buckwheat honey from the Ukraine or nevertheless rather the walnut dream.
9th station: chocolate fruits from Gilbert Nielsen
And it remains sweet. One of the first stands, if one enters the Paulsplatz vo of the Hauptwache coming, is the Früchtebüdchen of Gilbert Nielsen. This stand is also characterized by great variety and Nielsen's willingness to experiment. Pineapple, ginger, apple, grape or raspberry, with dark chocolate, white chocolate or cinnamon chocolate, enhanced with nuts, coconut or Oreo cookies. If you don't like the usual offerings like chocolate bananas or candied apples, you're still guaranteed to find what you're looking for here. My tip are the raspberries covered with dark chocolate. Extremely tasty!
10th station: Vegan soups at the Pink Christmas Market
For several years, the Frankfurt Christmas market has been expanded by a small offshoot on the Friedrich Stoltze Square. The pink Christmas market is not aimed exclusively at the gay and lesbian community of the city. In general, this cozy corner of the Christmas market has become a real insider tip among all those who want to escape the big hustle and bustle. This is not only because of the nice atmosphere that prevails here, but also because of the delicious food. For example, there is a constantly changing range of vegan soups at the Jausenhütte. The carrot-ginger soup, which we were allowed to try, convinces with an intense flavor and a pleasant sharpness, which helps perfectly when warming up from the inside out!
11. Station: Flammlachs on the Friedrich Stoltze place
Ebenfalls a highlight on the pink Christmas market is the delicious Flammlachs from Norway, whose preparation after Finnish kind is not only an eye, but also a palate feast. However, the delicate salmon only gets its very special touch from the accompanying sauces. Here one gets a good selection offered, with which guaranteed for each taste the correct with is.
12. Station: Argentine specialties of Fabiana Jarma
The last station on our culinary tour was the stand of Fabiana Jarma, which offers Argentine specialties at the Hauptwache. Especially delicious here is the Churrascos, a really tender steak, which can still be refined with the traditional Chimichurri sauce. But the choripán, an Argentine sausage, is also a real treat. And if you prefer vegetarian, your palate will be spoiled with the humita, an Argentine corn cream with a slightly spicy paprika-tomato seasoning. Jarma, who also offers tango classes in Frankfurt, has also created a special Argentine mulled wine that tastes less sweet than German mulled wine. Her wine is not sweetened, but only enriched with fresh spices, which gives it a very special, tart note.
These twelve stations are admittedly not the only culinary highlights at the Frankfurt Christmas market. But they make it clear how diverse the national and international offerings are here. Therefore, it is definitely worthwhile to stroll through the Christmas market with open eyes and open-minded palates and try the offerings beyond currywurst and fries. It's worth it!
Text from: Sebastian Betzold
